


My Old, Familiar Friend

by rosedarkling



Series: The Sataivlis Files [5]
Category: Deep-Sea Prisoner, Mogeko, Okegom, funamusea, 大海原と大海原 | Oounabara to Wadanohara | Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea, 海底囚人, 海底囚人 | Deep-Sea Prisoner, 灰色庭園 | Haiiro Teien | The Gray Garden
Genre: Bittersweet, Denial of Feelings, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Light Angst, M/M, Male Friendship, Reunions, Romantic Friendship, Suppression of feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28195176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosedarkling/pseuds/rosedarkling
Summary: Life can be tough for even a demon - babysitter has become a new job description for Emalf. Taking a break, a night of reflection leads to an encounter that has been long overdue.
Relationships: Adauchi | Vendetto/Emalf
Series: The Sataivlis Files [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1867051
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Friendly Encounter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yume_shirokuro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yume_shirokuro/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An INCREDIBLY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the one and only Yume! 
> 
> You are a pure JOY to have as a friend, and I sincerely hope you will enjoy this soft fic for the boys that need more love and spotlight. 
> 
> Love you so much, girrrrlllll! :D <3

The flame demon let out a wide yawn as he shut his amber eyes. No one was around anyway, but the demon still lifted a red, scaly claw up to his mouth to try to cover his gaping maw. Blinking away the tiredness, Emalf stared across the barren and dark landscape of the Flame Underworld. It was night time, so it was fairly dark tonight, illuminated only by the glow of the red moon in the sky. Well, night was the correct term, he supposed; after all, in this world, it was hard to distinguish when it was truly day. The Flame Underworld was essentially dark most of the time except for the glow of flames and red skies. At least the moon provided some indication on what time of day it truly was, though, Emalf supposed it did not really matter in the grand scheme of things. He rarely left the Flame Underworld to begin with. The last time that he could recall traveling to another world was that one that Mr. Ivlis’s husband ruled over. It was a pretty enough world – much more colorful than this one, to be fair – but Emalf didn’t mind it here. It was home, after all.

Emalf adjusted his black shades on his face when he felt them begin to slide down the bridge of his nose. Even with the night sky a red and purple hue, the flame demon always wore them - his iconic shades. In a way, it made him feel secure, if he was honest. Plus, he thought they looked quite nice, if he had to say so himself. Stretching his arms above his head, Emalf let out a light sigh as he felt his body begin to tire out. He had not done much today in the grand scheme of things, but he certainly felt wore out. Babysitting was tiresome work.

Mr. Ivlis had gone away earlier that week with that new husband of his for some sort of romantic getaway, leaving Emalf to keep watch over Poemi and Licorice, though Emalf found it strange that he had not seen Licorice in a while. It honestly would have worried him if the little guy was missing, but knowing Licorice, he had most likely snuck off with his parents. Emalf shook his head at that, his mauve-colored, shaggy hair flipping around his face. That boy – always attached to that father of his; well, in his case, he referred to Ivlis as “Mama” or “Mother.” A strange kid, but one that Emalf cared for nonetheless.

Poemi was a different story. As Ivlis’s only daughter, she was quite the handful. A little demon through and through, Poemi loved her chance to show off her “skills” with slaughtering and maiming. However, it had been quite a while since she had done any of that. These days, Poemi seemed to have mellowed out quite a bit, as did a lot of the flame demons. No longer were they actively invading a foreign world, so Poemi no longer was a comrade to Emalf; these days, she was more of a childlike friend that Emalf watched over.

Thinking of the two younger demons, Emalf couldn’t help but chuckle as he leaned back on the palms of his hands. Craning his neck backwards, Emalf looked up at the sky, dotted with a few pinpricks of tiny stars. Funny how they could be seen on some nights while others it was incredibly dark without the moon’s illumination.

Emalf let out a light sigh as he relaxed. Tonight was fairly quiet, and the darkened landscape certainly aided in the bit of coolness that shaded the land. Every flame demon was used to the heat and flames, of course, so that did not bother Emalf in the slightest. Though, he was happy to have his black and red jacket on him all this time of day to keep away the mild “chill” of the night. He gave a light huff of a chuckle to himself. Of course, there would be no response or awkward look given to him from another; he was out here alone tonight, enjoying the silence. Lowering his neck back down, Emalf took notice of the looming castle off in the distance – the place that he called home. He didn’t quite remember when he had ended up living with Lord Ivlis and his family, but he knew that it was shortly after they had failed to invade that Gray world. Plus, Rieta’s disappearance thanks to that one lady devil hadn’t helped matters either. Lord Ivlis was not exactly the happiest person to be around – easily agitated and on-edge most of the time. With Rieta gone and the start of other devils coming around, Emalf had taken notice of his lord’s changing moods. Being a faithful comrade to Ivlis meant coming around to see what his duties were; as such, he somehow ended up the caretaker and companion to Poemi, and soon to a new child that Ivlis brought home one day.

Well, at least nowadays, Ivlis seemed to be getting better; dare he say, even happier. In a way, that did lighten Emalf’s heart. He didn’t want to see his lord in pain, nor did he want to see him angry and biting back whenever something did not go as planned. Truthfully, seeing Ivlis enraged made Emalf feel a bit timid. Even more truthfully, he had to admit that he was fairly timid to begin with, though he knew he had a bit of a mouth on himself, as well.

Staring off at the silhouette of the castle this night reminded Emalf of the peace that now seemed to have been brought to the land. Well, perhaps not all of the Flame Underworld, necessarily. More so, the peace that had been brought to the world’s devil had Emalf feeling a bit more optimistic and calm these days. Sure, it was a bit tiring to be put in charge whenever Mr. Ivlis threw these responsibilities at him, but this tranquility that seemed to emanate over the immediate world around him was certainly appreciated.

A light, warm breeze rustled past the demon, blowing some strands of his messy hair into his face. Sliding his right hand forward again, Emalf brushed back the pieces to tuck behind his pointed ear. His knuckles brushed some of the earrings he wore pierced to both his ear and curvy horn – among other places on his body – and he began to mindlessly fiddle with them as he stared off across the landscape.

Funny how the loss of others could negatively affect someone so much like it had Mr. Ivlis. Even funnier was how the addition of people could bring just as much misfortune that turned into fortunate circumstances. 

All too well, Emalf knew those same feelings of loss….

Emalf stopped playing with the golden hoops on his ear to now bring himself into a better sitting position, though hunching forward would declare it to be more of a slouch. His drooping shoulders he accounted for the tiredness of the day – Poemi could be quite the rambunctious kid to deal with – but Emalf also could feel a slight heaviness to his heart.

Yes, he knew the feelings of losing a dear friend all too well.

Of course, his dear friend he had known since childhood, though he supposed Mr. Ivlis had known Rieta for quite some time, too. Still, his own boss’s son had run off many years ago, never to be seen since. Adauchi was a special friend to Emalf; he could always count on him to be there and mess around with. Emalf found it particularly enjoyable to go sing karaoke with him when he would be around. At the end of every week, the two would frequent a local place in town to simply belt out random songs till their hearts content. The drinks and snacks were fairly decent, but what Emalf missed the most of all was spending time with his beloved childhood friend.

To this day, Emalf still could not understand why Adauchi had run away from home. Was Mr. Ivlis that bad of a father? Emalf didn’t think so; he knew firsthand how he had been doting on both Poemi and Licorice. Of course, Adauchi was the oldest, so maybe dad expected more from him? Emalf wasn’t sure how that whole family dynamic worked in all honesty. Plus, it wasn’t his business to ever pry into those matters. Whenever Adauchi would complain about his old man, Emalf would simply listen and offer his opinions when it seemed appropriate. After all, the devil of the world was his boss – he did not want to risk getting into trouble for something his loose lips would say. He had frequently called Mr. Ivlis an airhead a few times in passing, though it was hard to deny when he displayed such hot-headed attitudes admidst his clumsy nature.

Emalf let out a deep sigh as he shook his head back and forth now, trying to dispel the thoughts of melancholic sadness that was starting to creep over his heart and mind. Thinking about such a thing at a time like this was pointless. Perhaps he was just tired. In all honesty, he really should be back at the castle sleeping. Poemi had tuckered herself out and fallen asleep a while ago, so he had taken the opportunity to come find some peace and quiet out here. Now he realized that he should probably head back to get some of his own shut-eye. He was beginning to feel a bit weary and drained, so he figured he would just fly back.

Sliding up to his feet, Emalf stretched once more with his arms raised above his head, his jacket and gray shirt slightly riding up his stomach as he did so. The action left him feeling a bit more tired, and he soon found himself letting out another tired yawn. The demon then let his arms drop back to his sides, slipping his claws with the myriad of golden rings on his fingers into his jacket pocket. The red soles of his shoe he shuffled in the dirt mindlessly as he readied himself to head back to the place he called home.

Another warm breeze blew past him, ruffling his hair and jacket. But alongside that came a soft shuffling noise off towards his right behind him. For a moment, Emalf assumed it was the nearby surroundings until he realized that this world was not exactly known for its foliage. Tensing up a bit, Emalf whipped his head over his right shoulder, expecting to find Licorice like he once had many, many months ago to ask him questions about strange feelings. Perhaps the boy really had not snuck off with his parents after all.

What Emalf did not expect to find standing there was the face of an old, familiar friend….

Emalf’s mouth hung open for a moment as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Was he so exhausted that he was now hallucinating? He blinked rapidly a few times behind his dark shades to make sure he was seeing correctly. There was that term “speak of the devil,” wasn’t there? More precisely, he had only thought of the demon, and yet… here he was. His bandaged arms crossed over his white shirt, the smallest of smiles on the corner of his lip, stood his childhood friend that he had thought had been lost to time.

“Hey,” Adauchi said. He spoke as if no time had passed between their last interactions, as if he was simply greeting Emalf on any other regular occasion. 

“A… Adauchi,” Emalf found himself stuttering out, mouth still agape. He wasn’t sure what to say or do. He had always hoped that he would return one day, but he had not exactly prepared for such a thing. What was the appropriate reaction? Inside he could feel his heart pounding extremely fast and a sense of excitement coursing through his veins. All he could think to do was stutter out, “Eff, man.”

Just how long had it been since he had been in this place?

How long had it been since he’d been home? Honestly, time wasn’t exactly relevant to demons, yet Adauchi could not help but notice how the world still looked pretty much the same as he last remembered it before leaving – still hot and barren, though he did enjoy the bit of coolness the evening brought. A warm yet cool breeze blew past his light blonde hair, ruffling it more over his left eye. His long black coat with the multitude of golden buttons that was slung over his shoulders also rustled in the breeze. One thing was for sure – he could appreciate this place a bit more with its warmth. The last place he had visited was some sort of place near the ocean; even now, he still recalled the salty cool air. How he hated the sea! Fishing was fine, sure, but he certainly did not miss that part of the mercenary job he had taken on.

Come to think of it, Poemi wasn’t too fond of the sea, either. He supposed it must run in the family blood. Well, family flames were more like it….

_“I can’t stand being here anymore!”_

Words from the past echoed back to him of all times for them to resonate. Perhaps being in this world – on this cliff, overlooking the castle – was making him remember.

_“Do you think I want to be here either?!”_

When had been the last time he had heard his father’s voice? Even now as it replayed in his mind, Adauchi felt that it was... somehow different. His father’s looks certainly would stay the same, surely; his brow knitted in fury, teeth clenched, and eyes sparking. In many ways, Adauchi knew he resembled his father with the way they both angered easily. Of course, he had the pointed red tail indicative of a demon that he inherited from him, as well. Nevertheless, Adauchi hoped that the similarities ended there. So much time had passed that he had learned to forgive his father for that day; in many ways, it was his own fault they had fought to begin with. Being confined to this bleak, dreary world was bad enough, but having to deal with an ever pissy and airheaded man like his father had only gotten to Adauchi.

He only could still remember pieces of the night he had left – ripping off the necklace that reminded him of this world and tossing it to his bed; visiting Poemi’s room to place a soft kiss to the top of her slumbering head; a final look in at his father’s own sleeping form before closing his large bedroom door. 

The only thing he did find that he regretted was never getting to say goodbye to his dear friend. It would have been simple enough to go visit him in the small town at his own place, but that would have been too hard. Emalf was the type to stay up late, and Adauchi feared that if he had gone to see him off, it would have only broken Emalf's heart even more. To imagine that he had metaphorically stabbed him in the back like a traitor left a horrible taste in Adauchi's mouth. Would it have been better to say goodbye face to face? Or had he done the right thing by not seeing him off? Truthfully, he would never know - and, honestly, he did not want to know. He had already caused enough pain, hadn't he? Why hurt Emalf even more? 

Well, now that he had seen him, he supposed that this time it could not be helped. 

Now, this friend was now here in front of him, looking over the castle and landscape. A spot that the two had frequented together all these times over the years…. Two friends simply conversing late into the early mornings on this precipice if not at a local karaoke bar. In truth, it had been his first stop this evening. He had not even gone to the castle to see if his family was there. Of course, he knew they probably would be, but…. He did not really want to see them. It was not that he did not care for his family; in many ways, he missed them dearly. 

How was Poemi fairing? Was she growing any taller? Was she still into her whining tendencies when things didn’t go her way? Things that used to annoy the older brother now were almost memorable mementos to him to store inside his heart.

Even his father he wondered about; was he still just as pig-headed and stubborn? Was he angry and depressed? Did he hate him for running off unannounced like this? That last thought almost brought a twinge of guilt to Adauchi’s heart. Of course he worried about something as trivial as that, though he would never admit to such a thing. Besides, he was genuinely curious as to how his old man was fairing.

Adauchi had come to this place to simply reminisce and see how the land was. He wanted to see how his loved ones were doing, yes, but part of him also felt that seeing them – awake or asleep - would only be painful. He couldn’t stay here for long anyway; life had moved on in such strange, strange directions for this demon born from flames…. Truthfully, he wanted to know how everyone was doing, even his dear old friend. Never had he expected to actually find him out here this evening. Fate truly was a fickle in many regards, wasn’t it? Of course, he had been told that many, many times by his new companions….

“Adauchi.”

Emalf’s familiar voice was so good to hear. It was like hearing the melodious sounds of something long forgotten returning to the banks of his memories. The boy raised his slanted red eyes to stare into Emalf’s. Even from this distance and behind those horrendously dark shades, Adauchi could see Emalf’s eyes were enlarged and somewhat shaken.

“You’re…. You’re really home.”

Home….

This flaming place was his home, wasn’t it? It had been such a long, long time that he had thought of this place as his home. Perhaps in the beginning days of his travels he had thought of this place as his home – his nesting place. Yet time was just as fickle as fate. Things had drastically changed for Adauchi, and he was certain they had for this world and its inhabitants that he cared for.

He knew he couldn’t stay long, but perhaps it would okay to catch up with someone he considered a good, trustworthy friend.

Shaking his head so his long bangs moved in front of him, Adauchi corrected Emalf’s statement. “Sorry. I’m… not exactly staying, Emalf.”

If looks could kill, Adauchi felt like he had been pierced in the chest the way he saw Emalf’s open mouth begin to close into a disappointed frown, his eyes lowering to the dirt – a simple yet forlorn expression that left Adauchi feeling that perhaps he was too cold with his words. “But… I would love for us to talk, if that’s okay with you," he rectified. "I…. ” Adauchi trailed off as he tried to bring himself to say the words that were somewhat stuck in his throat. They were not difficult to say, but in this moment, they felt clogged inside his esophagus to even release. Taking a deep breath in, Adauchi was finally able to breathe out, “I missed you, old friend.”


	2. Karaoke

Adauchi stared with mouth agape as Emalf ventured forth his exposition on all that had changed in this world. Sure, Adauchi had asked how things were going and what was new with Poemi and his old man, but never had he expected to hear such crazy tales of reality. “D – Dad is married?!” Adauchi could barely get the words out he felt so stunned. He knew things would have changed with how much time had passed since his departure, but never would he have imagined his father ever tying the knot with someone – and with another male devil at that!

Then again, he supposed that even more bizarre occurrences had been occurring for him as of late….

The two companions sat side by side on the edge of the cliff, both of their legs dangling over the edge as Emalf expounded these fantastical stories. The demon raised a claw up to his face to scratch at some sort of invisible itch on his cheek. “Y – Yeah,” he stuttered out. “Crazy, right? Mr. Ivlis sure has been strange since that Gray world invasion.”

Adauchi could not help but roll his eyes at the reminder of this as he leaned back on the palms of his hands, staring out at the silhouette of his old home on the horizon. “He’s such an airhead. He should have never tried such a foolish thing.”

Emalf let out a light chuckle, though he felt slightly bad at laughing at the jesting of his boss. Only slightly. “That husband of his seems to think so, too, I guess. But I wouldn’t let your new little brother hear that. He’s pretty attached to your old man.”

At the reminder of this new revelation that had been dumped on him, Adauchi could not help but shake his head back and forth, his somewhat long locks flipping around his head. “That’s so nuts! He had another kid. Of all things, dad had a child.” From what Emalf had previously told him, it sounded like this boy was a strange one that had the ability to shift into an adult form and child form. What boggled Adauchi’s mind even more was that his old man had apparently “birthed” this kid, and that he was the son of Ivlis’s husband before they had even married. Adauchi was not one to judge, but from how Emalf had described things so uncomfortably, Adauchi could gather that the events leading up to this marriage revelation had been murky and strange at best. He wasn’t exactly sure he needed to know all the details – nor did he really want to even with his curiosity piqued.

“I’d ask if you’d like to meet the new kid, but….” Emalf trailed off now, and Adauchi could see the somewhat pained expression on his face as lines appeared around his eyes and the corners of his mouth, as if he was holding back unspoken thoughts. Even without saying them, Adauchi could figure out why. He noticed some movement, and his eyes glanced down to see Emalf fiddling with a silver pendant around his neck. That oh-so familiar pendant that Adauchi had once tossed aside the day he had left….

“Emalf.”

The demon kept his scaly fingers still on the object, but he had complied to stare at Adauchi upon hearing his name called. Those amber eyes were honestly nice to see after so long; he was glad Emalf had actually listened to his request to keep those ugly shades off for once in his life. That brought a tiny smile to the corners of Adauchi’s mouth, and he hoped that even bit of tenderness would soak through to comfort his friend.

“You know that even if I can’t stay, I’m still your friend, right?”

A sentiment that was meant to bring comfort to Emalf, but one that left him feeling a bit pained. He would always be grateful to have Adauchi’s friendship, yet this only served as a reminder that Adauchi was once more going to leave. Would Adauchi even have come to see him on his nightly arrival tonight? If he hadn’t been out here at such perfect timing, would Adauchi ever have told him he’d come home for this brief reminiscence? Emalf wanted to believe that he would have, but inside, he suspected that this would be the last time he’d get to see his dear friend for quite some time. Emalf now bit his bottom lip as he tried to quell the ache he was starting to feel growing in his chest. He hated to do this – to show this obvious disappointment on his face – yet it was difficult to hold it back for much longer. He turned his amber eyes away to stare down at his lap. Nonetheless, he did what he could to hide his feelings, uttering out, “Y – Yeah, I know, man. You’ll always… be my best friend.” Words that he knew were beyond truthful still panged inside his chest. So badly he wanted to cry out against Adauchi at this injustice. Just why did he have to leave again? It didn’t make any sense! Nonetheless, Emalf knew that this would not dissuade the stubborn demon from whatever his reasoning was. It would be for the best to simply take things as they were even if they befuddled him.

A brief moment of silence passed as the two sat side by side, the only sounds echoing back across the barren landscape the occasional rustle of light breezes and flame bats that fluttered by. Just what could be said at a time like this? Perhaps he could tell more to Adauchi about the changes to the world and to his family. But would that come off as being too much of a gossip? Not that he cared about such a thing. It wasn’t that it was awkward, per se, to be sitting in silence with Adauchi, yet with so much time having slipped by, it certainly felt a bit… surreal, to say the least.

 _Come on, man,_ Emalf reprimanded himself. _Don’t do this. Be a man about this._ He felt that with his current attitude that he was only going to drive a wedge between the two of them; that thought alone was enough to send his shaken emotions into another internal frenzy.

Once more, Adauchi was the savior to Emalf’s embarrassed social conduct. “Hey, is that old karaoke bar still here?”

At the mention of karaoke, Emalf could not help but find himself grinning and a slight lightness in his chest to relieve some of the building pressure. “Heh, yeah,” he choked out. “It sure is. Surprised it’s still running at this point. But I guess I keep them in business.” Saying that out loud now only reminded Emalf that he would frequent the bar by himself or some other minor demons that he knew from work. Sure, it was pleasant enough, and he found himself having a good time most of the visits, but nothing would compare to the wondrous nights he would spend with Adauchi there – screaming and singing the night away while snacking and drinking to their hearts content into the early morning hours. Precious memories that he would never forget.

That’s what they were now…. Only precious moments of a time before everything became topsy-turvy.

Adauchi kept his eyes on Emalf even if the other’s amber-eyes were still focused downward. Just from the corners of his mouth having lifted, Adauchi knew how much the slight mention of this place was more than enough. Well, he did have some time to kill before returning to the others….

“Let’s go.”

The rustling at his side alerted Emalf that Adauchi had moved, and soon the demon found himself staring up at his friend who was now standing by his side. Adauchi’s right hand was extended towards him, and a small smile was across his usually rough features. “Well, come on. It’s not gonna stay open all night now, is it?”

Emalf’s heart began to pound faster in his chest upon this invitation. Was he hearing this right? Was he seeing this right? Yes, Adauchi was staring down at him, a smile on his lips and those piercing red eyes somewhat shrouded with his light hair. His breath somewhat hitched in his throat for a bit, and the demon cleared his throat to try to compose himself. He was simply excited to finally karaoke with his best friend again; that’s all this was.

Yes, surely – that’s all it was, he had to tell himself. To think otherwise would be foolishness on his part. He already knew what that was like – to fee like a fool.... The pendant around his neck moved when he turned to look up at Adauchi, further reminding him of the emotions he tried so hard to conceal. Matters of the heart were not exactly his forte. In many ways, he fit right in with his boss’s family perfectly in this department.

Nevertheless, Emalf would never turn down this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get one more chance to spend a special evening with Adauchi. Emalf gave a soft smile back to Adauchi and reached up, sliding his right hand into Adauchi’s waiting on. He lightly gripped onto his wrist, and his friend did the same, his grin increasing a tiny bit. To see Adauchi genuinely smile like this only made Emalf’s heart beat faster and his legs start to feel a bit weak. He was grateful that Adauchi at least had a grip on him to help pull him to his feet.

Now with Emalf standing upright, Adauchi took the lead once more. “I’ll lead the way. At least I can remember this much,” he chuckled. “I doubt the rest of the world has really changed much.”

“You’d be right about that,” Emalf chuckled in response.

Adauchi soon released his grip on Emalf’s wrist to slide his hand back before turning on his heel to start walking down the path that led up to the cliff. Emalf had let his hand linger a bit longer, feeling his fingertips trail over the wrapped bandages on his friend’s wrist and arm. In a way, he hoped to remember this sensation while not alerting Adauchi too much to this subtlety. Though, in some ways, Emalf somewhat hoped that Adauchi had noticed. Yet more ludicrous, unnecessary thoughts. The demon hoped he would not be a burden for such silly actions.

Taking a deep breath in to steady himself, Emalf slid his claws into the pockets of his jacket as he shuffled off behind Adauchi. The momentary warmth across his claws and inside his chest he would add to the banks of his precious memories, along with what was to come.

As suspected, the world really had not changed much. While heading to the establishment that he had frequented so, so many times in the past, Adauchi could see that many of the homes and small businesses that populated the town were still standing. In a way, seeing these homes brought nostalgia to the wayward demon. He could recall running up and down these streets as a child with Emalf, laughing and playing without a care in the world. Mischief was always fun to get into, though he would get a stern talking to by his father upon returning home. Accidentally throwing a light projectile through someone’s front window was certainly not the most memorable recollection when he remembered how angry his father had gotten at for messing around with such things, but as he looked back on it now, Adauchi could not help but find it a bit amusing as he remembered running off with Emalf to try and cover their tracts that they had been there. Of course, the glowing object in the unfortunate victim’s living room was testament enough that it had to have been one of the devil’s children that had done such a thing. At that time, Poemi had yet to be born, so only one culprit was to blame.

As they traveled the empty streets to the bar, Adauchi could not help but be reminded of the past – glimpses of things spoken and unspoken, acted and unacted upon playing in his mind like classic movies on an old screen. In a way, this left the demon feeling a bit nostalgic as he reminisced on the past. He had been happy to hear from Emalf how everyone was fairing, though he had become a bit disheartened to hear that Rieta was still missing since that failed invasion of that other world. Adauchi shook his head at such absurdity; what had his old man been thinking? Of course, he suspected the source of the “why” dad had done such a thing, but he still could not fully comprehend that level of stupidity. And now he had married, had a child, and was on some sort of honeymoon?

Things had certainly changed while also remaining quite the same; what oddities.

Arriving at the establishment had been fairly easy enough, and upon entering, Adauchi was greeted with the familiar scents that awoke some primal part of his brain. Everything flooded back to him, and it truly felt as if no time had passed whatsoever since leaving his home. He supposed it was true what they said – distance really did make the heart grow fonder, and one never really could forget the impressions left behind of such ingrained anamnesis.

The bored looking demon at the crescent-shaped counter was unfamiliar to Adauchi, which he was glad for. At least this way no one besides Emalf would dare say anything about his sudden appearance back in the world. As usual, Adauchi decided on renting out a booth for a few hours until sunrise – well, what they considered dawn in this world of darkness and flames. He also ordered a round of snack items and beers. He looked over his right shoulder at Emalf, who stared in amazement at this exchange. “Just like in the old days,” he commented, and he swore he could have seen Emalf’s cheeks turn slightly pink on his cheeks.

After settling into a room, the evening passed by like any other. Amid the snacking and drinking, Emalf and Adauchi took turns punching the codes into the machine to begin their fun-filled evening of belting out songs. To be fair, it started off a tad uncomfortable for the demon; he’d done this so many times before, but he could not help but feel like a part of him was rusty at this whole thing. He had not gone singing in eons; at least, it felt that way. Despite that, the strangeness soon faded, leaving Adauchi once more settled into the familiar routine with his friend. Echoes of genuine laughter filled the room as the two would occasionally take breaks from singing to eat and drink as Emalf recounted stories that would perhaps interest Adauchi. For all intents and purposes, he must say he did enjoy hearing these stories; it gave him an even deeper glimpse into the life and family he had left behind. Of course, the demon tried his best to shrug off such thoughts; rebuking himself about having left home in the first place did no good now. Regrets would have to stay buried in the past.

No. Now was not the time for remorse; what was done was done, and nothing would ever change history.

The familiar sounds of booming music and rambunctious laughter soon drowned out the momentary regrets; both demons were thankful for that in their own unspoken ways. The cacophony of sounds long forgotten strummed inside both of their hearts in different ways yet with the same vibration and frequency. 

Flopping back onto the black leather couch, Emalf let out a deep yet exhilarated sigh. “Eff, man, that was awesome!” Adauchi could tell just from the way Emalf’s cheeks were slightly reddened that both the alcohol and exertion from singing was finally catching up to him. Even those amber eyes were a bit glassy. Adauchi wondered if he should have ordered so much to begin with, but he hadn’t realized how much Emalf would be indulging himself tonight. He himself had a few beers, yet he found himself nowhere near as wasted as Emalf was. In a way, Adauchi found it kind of endearing to see Emalf relaxed so much where earlier he seemed a bit tense and troubled. Although, was he drinking to help him truly relax or dull the pain? Adauchi was not immune to such feelings – he, too, could already feel the bittersweet prick in his own chest the moment they had set foot into this place. Knowing that he was the probable cause of Emalf’s not-so-hidden sadness did make the other a bit disheartened, yet it could not be helped. There was much bigger things taking place than Emalf needed to know about.

Nevertheless, Adauchi wanted to enjoy this moment with his old, familiar friend. If it were possible, he would stop time so he could soak in every moment to burn it into his brain for eternity.

With a grin, Adauchi spread his arms across the back of the couch he was sitting on, crossing his left leg crossed over his right. “It certainly was fun. You’ve been practicing, I see,” he commented about Emalf’s singing.

Emalf laughed, waving his right hand through the air. “Nah, man, I just do this whenever I have free time. But Mr. Ivlis has been keeping me in charge most days, so it was nice to finally get out and do something fun.” The flushed-looking demon leaned his head back to rest on the top of the couch, keeping his legs sprawled out in front of him and his arms flopped lazily at his side. With the amount of energy they had been using with signing inside this booth, both boys had flung off their jackets since they were getting pretty heated, so seeing Emalf in just his dark gray t-shirt and red and black pants as he reclined had Adauchi smiling. He had originally not been planning to run into anybody on his little stop home, yet seeing how comfortable Emalf was brought a sense of warmth to his heart. He had not realized that this exchange was just as much for him as it was for Emalf.

Staring across the shining, dark wood of the table between them that was littered with silver beer cans and trays of assorted snacks, Adauchi noticed that Emalf had closed his eyes to get the full relaxation experience. However, the steady breathing of the demon had Adauchi second guessing himself. He curiously raised an eyebrow as he called out, “Oi, Emalf! Did you fall asleep?” The only response in return was the continued steady breaths from the demon as he slowly let his mouth droop open and begin to lightly snore. Adauchi found himself rolling his eyes at such a display while simultaneously finding it somewhat wholesome; of course Emalf would tire himself out in a drunken stupor with such elation. Adauchi just hoped that he wouldn’t have repercussions the next morning, though a slight headache might do the overzealous demon some good.

Sitting in silence for a few moments longer, Adauchi took a few glances around the room, soaking in the familiar scenery once more. Gosh, he would miss this simple little karaoke bar! It was a place where he could let himself be free, especially among friends. His red eyes now landed on Emalf once more, still snoring away with his head craned back. Adauchi huffed at such a silly position that he fell asleep in – like that of a child that could pass out anywhere they pleased. Closing his eyes a moment to let out a deep sigh – of amused insufferableness or melancholy he was not fully sure – Adauchi slid off the leather sofa, making his way around the right-hand side of the table. Now at Emalf’s seat, Adauchi’s gaze now ran over his friend. Concealed behind those shut eyelids were a color he was thankful to finally have seen after such a long time. His eyes then caught a silver glint out of the corner of his eye, now taking stock of the bat-shaped pendant around his neck. Of course he wore that….

Adauchi once more closed his eyes to let out another deep sigh before opening them once more. He reached out and gently placed his hands atop Emalf’s shoulders, rolling his head forward a bit as he gently lowered Emalf to a more suitable resting position on his left side. The demon barely stirred, only smacking his lips in his sleep as he mumbled incoherent noises. Even resting on his side, Emalf genuinely looked passed out yet peaceful.

Still crouched over Emalf, a slight tingling along the back of his neck and down his spine alerted Adauchi back to reality. Ah, that’s right – this familiar feeling….

They were waiting for him….

Not wanting to ignore this call to speed things up, Adauchi took one final look at his best friend. Even if he was sleeping, Adauchi could still hear his odd speech mannerisms, sheepish looks he would often give, and his chuckling laughter. That melancholic feeling once more rose in Adauchi’s chest, and the shine of the pendant even in the dim lighting of the only reminded him of what this friend truly thought of him. He never said it, but Adauchi knew what lie behind those quick glances and stutters.

Still slightly bent at the hips, Adauchi took a deep breath in through his nostrils before bending forward. He had never done this sort of thing before, yet…. This would be fine, right? It was just a parting gift to his friend – a friend that he might never see for another few decades…. A gift that Emalf would never know he had given him….

Underneath his curved, pierced horn, Adauchi placed a small, simple kiss to Emalf’s right temple; well, more so to his thick mauve hair. Even he wasn’t quite sure why he did such a bizarre thing, but something inside of him told him that this would be the appropriate parting. His cheeks were not quite red, yet Adauchi could feel a warmth creeping into his chest at such a tender gesture. This is what family did for each other, right, so logically friends would fall into the same category.

That’s all it was. All it ever would be.

Those words echoed inside Adauchi’s mind, though he could not be sure if they were filled with truth or little white lies.

Straightening upwards, Adauchi cast one last forlorn look at Emalf before turning on his heel to quickly retrieve his jacket and any track that he had been here, leaving the booth. He quietly opened and shut the door, slipping out just as silently. His long black boots with the gold button on the sides echoed off the floor as he made his way to the front desk. A quick exchange of money was all it took to bribe the clerk to let the sleeping demon be until morning; he hoped this would be enough time for Emalf to rise and shine to get back to Poemi upon her waking. Adauchi then stepped out into the warm evening air once more.

Listening to the familiar sounds of the crackling flames, fluttering bats, and silent streets, Adauchi once more felt nostalgia washing over him. Throwing his black jacket once more over his shoulders, a light breeze blew past him from the left. As if on cue, Adauchi felt the presence of someone once more familiar to him. This time, he did not have to look to see who it was; the sensation from earlier told him all he needed to know who had come to collect him. Closing his eyes to compose himself in front of them, Adauchi turned to stare down at the short creature standing at his side, looking up at him with their large red eyes patterned with swirls.

“Mother is waiting, Adauchi,” they said in a soft-spoken tone. Their short white hair swayed around their head as they tilted their head to the left-hand side, as if questioning Adauchi’s tardiness. Their pointed black tail flicked behind them curiously while their white, feathery angel wing and black devil wing swayed with the nightly breeze.

“Yeah, yeah,” Adauchi said, somewhat in an annoyed tone, though it was not Rema’s fault. He knew he had to leave. Plus, the longer he delayed, the more attached he would become to this world once again; a luxury he did not think he could afford. “I don’t know why you still call him that.” Adauchi raised a curious eyebrow at the strange being, earning a blasé expression on Rema’s face.

“Father is Mother,” they replied matter-of-factly, and Adauchi rolled his eyes. No matter how much time he spent with this creature, he still could not understand them; well, not that he understood the other being either.

Reaching up to run his bandaged right hand through his long bangs, Adauchi met those swirled eyes with his own red ones. “Yeah, well, let’s get going then.” Rema simply nodded, their black boots crunching across the ground as the turned. A simple wave of their left hand opened a black portal in front of them. A quick look back at Adauchi and a nod of confirmation, Rema entered the engulfing blackness. It remained there, awaiting its next traveler. Not wanting to keep Rema or “Mother” waiting any further, Adauchi walked forward, stopping at the edge of this otherworldly exit. He wasn’t scared or leery of this thing – he’d used many of these by now – yet he paused all the same.

At the edge, Adauchi looked back over his left shoulder towards the karaoke bar. Thankfully, no one was around to have seen Rema or him departing. However, part of Adauchi felt a tug on his heart to return into that little establishment. A pleasant and fun time was always there to make one feel good, yes, but even more, there was someone slumbering away that deserved a better goodbye. Regret once more began to eat at the edges of Adauchi’s heart; this was the second time he was leaving his best friend. The one thing that brought him a bit of comfort was that this time he was finally able to visit with him before disappearing once more.

“See ya, Emalf,” he whispered out loud as he stared at the dark door of the bar. Turning forward once more, Adauchi began to let the darkness wash over him to take him away once more. As the light and heat from the Flame Underworld began to fade, Adauchi still felt a small warmth on his cheeks, a phantom tingle on his lips, and a squeeze to his heart. Raising his right hand up to clutch at his collar and the silver tag necklace around his own neck, Adauchi silently prayed that Emalf would remember this trip down memory lane in a pleasant way.

He knew that he certainly would.

The dark portal slowly began to close as Adauchi once more left home, though this time with a bit more sentimental melancholy lingering in his chest.

Fate had seemed to have brought the two friends into contact tonight. Adauchi hoped that it would be merciful to him once more for a hopeful future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once more, a happy, happy, super happy birthday to a lovely human being! If you all don't know Yume yet, please go check her out on her social medias below. She is an amazing artist and the sweetest! <3
> 
> Enjoy your day, girl, and I hope you enjoy your Emadauchi feels. ;) One day, I would love to write more for them and make it SPICY, so look forward to the future. ;) Love you! <3
> 
> Yume's Twitter: https://twitter.com/YShirokuro  
> Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yume_shiro_kuro/  
> Tumblr: https://yume-shirokuro.tumblr.com/


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